X-Men: Schism

Wolverine vs. Cyclops vs. All of Mankind

Children of the Atom, take your sides! It's X-Men: Schism, and you're about to be indoctrinated in a mutant-catastrophe that threatens the last few survivors of their kind.

Left: Cyclops and Wolverine go all out in X-Men: Schism #4.

So who's side will you fall on: are you allocating your resources to Scott Summers, aka Cyclops and his measured strategies? Or will you unsheath your claws with Wolverine and go all-out against anyone who gets in your way? That's what it's all about in X-Men: Schism; no longer can the mutants stand on the sideline. A line must be drawn in the sand!

This article is also a landing page for the X-Men: Schism event which unfolded July 2011. The event itself is a 5-issue series, but you know full well...there are tie-ins and special titles to come! So get ready, put your reading glasses on. It's time for X-Men: Schism and things are never going to be the same!

X-Men: Schism Update Section

Most Recent: October 6, 2011

*Began this site and pulled together a prelude and schism reading list. 07/27/2011.

*Updated Reading List and added related title material. 07/28/2011.

*Added poll and did some double checking on releases. (Yep, just wanted to make sure I had it all down.) 07/29/2010.

*Updated the Reading Order; everything going real smooth with X-Men Schism. I'm on the hunt for some good artwork, though. 08/19/2011.

Added the issues current to September 21. One last issue to go! 09/21/2011.

*Added the final issue to the X-Men Schism storyline with #5. 10/06/2011.

Things From Another World has X-Men and More!

Prelude to Schism - The lead in to X-Men's Schism

The X-Men: Schism Teaser

In the lead-up to the eventual release of X-Men: Schism #1, we're really not certain of the anticipated threat (unless, of course, you had been reading the spoilers). This is the framework of X-Men: Prelude to Schism, a 4-issue miniseries that puts us into the hearts and minds of the leaders of the last 200 mutants that exist after their near extermination back in House of M. Within this series, you'll learn more about the values of Professor X, Magneto, Scott Summers, and Wolverine, which puts us directly in the right perspective of a global mutant-extermination event.

01 X-men: Prelude to Schism #1 (In a gloomy background, we are introduced to a situation that appears beyond the control of Scott Summers and the mutants dwelling on their island off the coast of San Francisco called Utopia. Many of the mutants, including Wolverine and Emma Frost, debate how to handle this challenge. Then the issue falls into the thoughts of Professor X. It now goes to flashbacks as he teaches Scott the difficulties he'll have in the future and how he must overcome them.)

02 X-Men: Prelude to Schism #2 (Throughout the issue, we are still warned of an impending danger about to occur, one which the mutants will be unable to avoid and very unlikely to win. At it's onsaught, though, this time we get into the head of Magneto as he speaks to Scott, advising him that he's a lot like the Master of Magnetism's father in Germany. Throughout the flashbacks, the story finally comes to the area where Magneto first faced the X-Men in combat. At the end, Scott tells him thanks and there's the implication that Professor X is about to talk to him again.)

03 X-Men: Prelude to Schism #3 (Focusing on Scott Summers as he's about to make the most serious decision of his life. Once again, the prelude series tells us something that will wipe out mutantkind is about to occur, but not specifically what that is. Scott then goes into flashbacks, remembering his childhood days where he started getting migraines, and where he lost his parents and his eyesight became damaged. At the end of the story, he summons Emma Frost, The White Queen, to determine if he's ready to speak. She says he's made his decision. And that decision, he says, it to stay and fight.)

04 X-Men: Prelude to Schism #4 (This issue is all about Wolverine. It actually covers the events that occur in Prelude to Schism #1-3, but from his perspective. In the meantime, you are in his head, seeing flashbacks of his youth, where he realizes he has claws, becoming Weapon X, and eventually joining the X-Men to fight as Wolverine. At the end, he and Scott are together. And Wolverine shows us that he doesn't care if he's going to die, because he's going to go down fighting.)

05 X-Men: Schism #1 (The story starts with Wolverine. He's focused more on his own pursuits and doesn't seem to be interested in acting much like a teacher to the mutants on Utopia, not even when Cyclops gives him the task. But the story moves on to Cyclops and Wolverine at the U.N., where Summers makes a plea for the nations to dismantle their Sentinel technology. The "debate" seems to go sour and then Quentin Quire, aka Kid Omega shows up and releases a psychic suggestion that causes all the leaders to admit their secrets publicly. This causes and outrage and Sentinels are then released. Cyclops and Wolverine battle them off, but the damage is done. Around the world, Sentinels and their advanced technologies are revealed. And there is one goal, exterminate the mutants on Utopia. Another part of the issue focuses on Carlton Kilgore as his son shoots him in cold blood, taking over his position as The Black King in The Hellfire Club.)

06 X-Men: Schism #2 (As we start this issue, the Sentinels are in sad shape. More than half of them are self-destructing and going on a rampage against whoever and whatever they can find. In the X-Men command center, we get a sense of all the mutants and superheroes assigned to fix the problem. Wolverine starts to get ancy; it's clear he needs action, and he tells Scott. But just as he gets ready to hunt down Quentin Quire, the kid shows up at doorstep. [It's important here that Scott wants to hold a mutant court for Quentin, so he will be judged by a jury of his peers.] In another scene, we see that The Hellfire Club has purged all their mutant elements and is bent on exterminating their impure genetics. Led by Kade Kilgore, they make a deal with some extra-terrestrial life for some creatures to be used at a later day; it's all part of Kade's plan. And in the end, we are a special event remembering the history of Mutantkind; Colossus, Magneto, Iceman, The White Queen are there. And the last thing we learn is that Kade and the Hellfire goons are going to attack them there.)

07 X-Men: Schism #3 (We learn more about Kade Kilgore in this issue, and that his associates are brilliant children, prodigies and sociopaths by definition. They storm the museum and the fight begins. While it looks surprisingly easy for Emma and her team to win, these children are tough and well-prepared. They quickly take down each member, while the whole time, Summers is trying to figure out what's going on from Utopia. As the telepathy fades in and out, Wolverine is at the bar and he's looped in. Idie is the only member left conscious, and she's in hiding. Scott tells her she'll have to do whatever she can, but Logan tells her to remain in hiding and stay put. In the end, she's convinced to stop the junior Hellfire Club kids inner circle, killing 12 of them. [Of course, you know the kids got away.] But after her use of powers, bombs go off, exploding the entire building. Scott and Logan argue, but then are halted as some magnetic force from the bombs begins pulling all the metal together into a giant sentinel.)

08 Generation Hope #10 (This issue runs simultaneous with X-Men: Schism #3, but is recommended by the publisher to follow after it. The plot surrounds the perceptions of Idie as she encounters and incorporates the philosophies of people who have created sentinels and have used them throughout history; Idie believes herself a monster and seems to understand why people have had sentinels. After some debate with the other members, she and Transonic head to the museum, where they catch up with Kenji who is observing a sentinel exhibit. Idie eventually goes off alone and stumbles into the Hellfire attack. As the team is beaten, she gets caught in a telepathic conversation between Scott and Logan and decides to unleash her powers, killing 12 men. In the end, her senses are overwhelmed and she passes out or falls asleep at the scene.)

X-Men: Schism #4, excerpt

09 Generation Hope #11 (Closer and closer, the Sentinel monster lumbers across the San Francisco Bay as Hope, Idie, Laura and company debate what to do. Laura's big concern is in not leaving Idie behind; she's too young and vulnerable, even with her great powers. Hope counters her, though; she's a trained soldier and knows it's time to make a stand. As the group decides they're going to remain, the rest of the mutants on Utopia gather with them and counsel their actions. Their biggest consideration is that some of them will get hurt and others will likely die. But it must be done. As the Sentinel comes closer, Cyclops is seen after firing his optic blast.)

10 X-Men: Schism #4 (Although it's slotted to appear before Generation Hope #11, it's better afterwards. The team leaves the museum and regroups on the island, that is, all except for the incapacitated mutants with alien slugs attached to their heads. Scott sees the Sentinel as it's heading towards their island through the Bay and tries to take it out with his Optic Blast; it has little effect as the machine repairs itself easily. He heads over to the rest of the mutants and learns they're ready to fight. As he's preparing them to defend their island, Logan, who was buffeted into the water after trying to fight the Sentinel emerges and has angry words with Cyclops; he doesn't want the kids to get involved because they are too young. Scott is adamant, though, and the kids are willing to engage in battle. This cases Wolverine to storm off. He shortly comes back and tells everyone to get off the island; in his hand is a detonator that can blow up the entire island. Cyclops becomes fuming mad and the two suddenly go into a deadly fight with optic blasts and razor-shard claws flying about. The Sentinel is now closer, though, and it's preparing to kill them both.)

11 X-Men: Schism #5 (Scott and Logan continue battling each other; meanwhile, a special breed of Hellfire-created Sentinel looms overhead until is strikes them directly. Unfortunately, it doesn't deter the two mutants from their feud. Almost crippling each other, a death blow is imminent until the rest of the mutants react, taking on the giant metal behemoth. Cyclops and Wolverine then join in until it, finally overwhelmed, falls into rubble over a burning island. With the battle over, it's time for the mutants to lick their wounds; Scott and Logan begin having words; that's when Logan finally says he's had enough and is leaving island. Given one of the Blackbirds for his transport, the adamantium-laced mutant heads off with some sympathetic mutants, finally resting the craft at his former residence: Xavier's School For Gifted Youngsters. And with Cyclops and Wolverine leading separate mutant agendas, a new age of mutant-kind has been born.)

Cyclops vs. Wolverine - Whose side will it be?

Cyclopse vs. Wolverine

Fact: You're a mutant and a schism is breaking your community apart. What do you do? What...do...you...do?

Well, that's the whole point of X-Men: Schism, so let's play. Which side are you going to join in this divisive moment of mutantkind? Will you side with Cyclops or Wolverine? Time to choose.

Ending an era of our meeting with mutants, The Uncanny X-Men #544 marks the conclusion of that title, with the final release on October 26, 2011.

Following both of those landmark events, two new titles will be released, heralding a new dawn for the Children of The Atom:

Wolverine and The X-Men #1, which follows Logan's revival of Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters, and

The Uncanny X-Men #1, which continued Scott Summer's, Cyclops', story at Utopia with the remaining mutants that stated behind.

X-Men: Destiny - Mutants on the game console...

X-Men: Destiny released September 27, 2011 and reviews have been coming in. You play one of three unique mutants with their own brands of powers. As you progress in level, you get to flavor your "brand" of the X-Gene with latent abilities such as those from Wolverine, Juggernaut, and Cyclops.

Be sure to check out this game. The link below is for the PS3, if you would like to purchase another format, click here

If you're a big X-Man fan, or simply like watching Wolverine flash his claws and rake metal, please feel free to leave a comment. I'm always checking in and will respond if you have any questions. Likewise, if you have any insights or criticism, it's all welcome.

@anonymous: Sorry for the late reply. According to what I understand, Schism does follow Fear Itself. Haha, I bet you're looking for clues to the aftermath, like me. Good luck on that, Taariq!

anonymous 6 years ago

WOW! I follow your Fear Itself lens and came across your Spider-Island and now Schism. I'm very grateful to you for all you help. One question, does Schism happen after Fear Itself? And do you know where the other X-Book occur? Like X-Men Legacy and just X-Men?